Page 121 of Butterfly

Ollie shifted closer to the edge and peeked a look.

Captain kneeled beside Pichard, not touching. He wasn’t alone. Another man stood by Captain, tilting his head up.

“There,” he said.

Captain sprang to his feet, looking up too. “Ollie!”

Ollie opened his mouth to speak, but all his words had dried up. He waved a weak hand over the edge, though, and Captain and his companion took off running.

Captain got to him first, cursing at the blood on Ollie’s face.

“That bastard,” Captain hissed, cradling Ollie’s face.

Ollie blinked up at him. He’d not even had a chance to explain what had happened, but Captain was furious over the altercation despite Pichard being dead on the ground.

“Can you hear me?”

Ollie nodded in Captain’s hands.

“Are you hurt…aside from the obvious?”

Ollie didn’t know what that meant, but his face ached in a way he’d never felt before.

He shook his head, then scrunched his eyes to fight the wave of dizziness.

“Hey,” Captain whispered. “I’m going to sit you up, okay?”

Ollie nodded again and let Captain wrap his arm around his back. He heaved Ollie upright and held him there. Captain’s companion stepped onto the scaffolding, grim-faced. Ollie recognised him, the glasses, the moustache, his kind brown eyes.

Jarvis crouched in front of Ollie. “The police are on the way.”

Ollie stiffened, and Jarvis reached for his shoulder. “It’s okay. They’re going to explain everything, and when you’re ready, they’ll ask you what happened.”

“Is that…is that a needle?” Captain asked. “Is that a goddamn needle?”

The anger in his voice made Ollie’s breath catch.

“Yes, it’s a needle,” Jarvis said calmly. He shot Captain a pointed look to keep it together. “We need to know if any of the stuff that was in that needle got into you?”

Ollie shook his head.

Jarvis gave him a warm smile. “You’re probably wondering why I’m here?”

Ollie nodded again, glancing between Jarvis and Captain.

“Teddy told me everything, Ollie. He wrote downeverything.”

Ollie’s eyes stung. “What?”

“And I believed him.” Jarvis sighed. “It wasn’t supposed to happen like this. Pichard surprised everyone by flying home early. I knew he’d come after you. That was Teddy’s biggest fear. He was terrified Pichard would hurt you. That’s why he hadn’t said anything before. He made me promise you wouldn’t get hurt.” Jarvis’s eyes were watering. “I’m so sorry, Ollie.”

“It’s not your fault,” Ollie whispered.

Jarvis’s gaze roamed Ollie’s face, then he looked down.

“It’s not,” Captain said fiercely. He kept one arm behind Ollie’s back and reached for Jarvis with the other. Captain pulled him close enough to slip his hand behind Jarvis’s neck and squeezed. “Socks… You know it’s not.”

Jarvis lifted his head, and his eyes locked with Captain’s.

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